$1M DAILY BOGUS DEAL EXPOSED.
… $1 million dollar Mansa- Lwingu Road project given to fake contractor
THE Lusaka Magistrate court yesterday heard how a local contractor G and G National wide was awarded over $1 million dollar subcontract on the Mansa- Lwingu Road project using fake documents.
Appearing before Magistrate Lameck Mwale was Christopher Banda 46 of plot no 4902 Long Acres road Lusaka, charged with five counts ranging from forgery to uttering of false documents.
THE Lusaka Magistrate court yesterday heard how a local contractor G and G National wide was awarded over $1 million subcontract on the Mansa- Lwingu Road project using fake documents.
Appearing before Magistrate Lameck Mwale was Christopher Banda 46 of plot no 4902 Long Acres road Lusaka, charged with five counts ranging from forgery to uttering of false documents.
In 2013, Government awarded the main contract to China Henani Corporation to work on the construction of the 175 kilometre Mansa-Luwingu road at a total cost of US$242 million under the Link Zambia 8000 Project.
And testifying in the matter, a Police officer at Force Headquarters, told the court that after he received a report of fraud he initiated an investigation and that during the course of his investigation he visited G and G National Wide where he retrieved various documents including ZRA tax and clearance certificates, PACRA registration certificate correspondence letters to support the allegations.
He said later, he apprehended Mr Banda and after a detailed interview with him, he failed to give satisfactory answers.
He said his investigation revealed that G and G National wide was awarded a contract by China Henan and RDA based on the claim that the company was registered by the National Construction Council (NCC) in grade two category when the actual fact is that the company was in the Grade Five category.
He said according to his investigation, when China Henan wrote to NCC to inquire about the status of G and G National wide, it was discovered that the certificate the company used to win the subcontract was not authentic.
"Your honour, the documents submitted by G and G purporting that it was registered in grade two category was not authentic according to the reply letter from NCC signed by Mathews Ngulube the CEO of the Construction Council," he submitted.
In the first count, the accused is charged with forgery contrary to section 347 of the laws of Zambia,
Particulars of the offence are that the accused on 27th August 2013 and 14 October 2013, with intent to deceive, did forge a letter namely Contract no RDA CE 412, dated 28 August 2013 in the name of Eng Charles Mushota by purporting to show that it was genuinely Issued by the Road Development Agency (RDA) when not.
In the second, third, fourth and fifth counts, the accused is charged with uttering of false document, forgery, and obtaining pecuniary advantage by false presence contrary to the law of Zambia.